Saudi Tourism Authority partners with Huawei to boost Chinese tourism

The Saudi Tourism Authority last month signed a memorandum of understanding with Huawei Mobile Services and its advertising branch, Petal Ads to bolster the number of Chinese visits to the Kingdom.

Fahd Hamidaddin, Chief Executive of the Saudi Tourism Authority, signed the deal alongside Walter Ji Rengui, president of Huawei Consumer Cloud Service Global Ecosystem Development & Operations.

The collaboration aims to reshape the way visitors explore Saudi Arabia by digitising travel services, with a specific focus on attracting Chinese tourists.

Following on from the MoU signing, on 17th November, the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) landed in Shanghai to launch its biggest integrated travel campaign in China. Over 13,000 visitors flocked to the Bund to participate in the Saudi Souk Festival, a celebration of Saudi Arabia’s culture, heritage, and natural beauty, and enjoy live performances along the waterfront.

As part of the campaign, STA released a series of Saudi experience films on national TV and major tech platforms in China, such as Ctrip, Mafengwo, and Tencent, reaching hundreds of millions of viewers at home. The films exposed Chinese tourists to the experiences on offer in Saudi Arabia, such as stargazing, snorkelling in the Red Sea, and riding in a hot-air balloon.

The STA also unveiled a series of how-to videos on its VisitSaudi.cn website to help Chinese audiences navigate Saudi Arabia with confidence, from wearing traditional attire to connecting to the internet at the airport.

Alhasan Aldabbagh, President of APAC Markets at the Saudi Tourism Authority enthused “we are delighted to share the wonders of Saudi with our Chinese friends. We hope that this campaign will inspire them to discover our country … as well as foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of the similarities between our two cultures, and strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our two nations.

“Through this partnership, we are reaffirming our commitments set out under Vision 2030 and are delivering tailored and custom experiences for Chinese travellers.”

Choon Yang Quek, Chief Technology Officer at the STA noted “the partnership with Huawei Mobile Services and Petal Ads is part of Saudi’s innovative approach to marketing tourism and enhancing visitor experiences.

“By joining forces with Huawei, known for its strong consumer connections, and combining it with Saudi’s commitment to visitor satisfaction, we can now reach new audiences more effectively through established Huawei channels and gain deeper insights into Chinese travellers to tailor their Saudi journeys.”

The collaboration includes targeted marketing campaigns across various platforms to raise awareness about the diverse tourist attractions and unique experiences the country has to offer to the Chinese audience.

Saudi Arabia featured on the latest season of a Chinese reality show called Divas Hit the Road, where seven Chinese celebrities, including Dior ambassador Dilraba Dilmurat and Tory Burch ambassador Qin Lan, travel the world together on a tight budget. In the first few episodes, the group is seen trying local cuisine, karting in Boulevard Riyadh City, visiting Elephant Rock, and riding the Giant Swing in AlUla.

The first episode aired on 25th October, with Jing Daily reporting the episode received 340 million views, and a 772% increase in searches for “Saudi Arabia” month-on-month on online travel services provider Qunar. On Xiaohongshu (a social media and e-commerce platform described as China's answer to Instagram, the hashtag “Divas Hit the Road Travel Guide” has 15.9 million views, with netizens posting about their experiences copying the show’s itinerary. Meanwhile, the broader “Saudi Arabia” hashtag on Xiaohongshu has over 276 million views to date.

Image top: The Saudi Tourism Authority has launched its biggest travel campaign in China. Will this bring Saudi Arabia closer to attracting 3 million Chinese tourists by 2030? Photo: Saudi Tourism Authority; image centre: Fahd Hamidaddin, Chief Executive of the Saudi Tourism Authority, signed MoU alongside Walter Ji Rengui, president of Huawei Consumer Cloud Service Global Ecosystem Development & Operations; image below: the cast of Divas Hit the Road 5 visit AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Credit: Weibo